Ndinabadwa pa 22 December, 1929 m’mudzi waung’ono wotchedwa Noville womwe uli ndi mafamu 9 pafupi ndi ku Bastogne m’dziko la Belgium. Ndimakumbukira zinthu zosangalatsa zimene ndinkachita ndi makolo anga kufamu ndili wamng’ono. Ine ndi mng’ono wanga Raymond tinkakama mkaka wa ng’ombe tsiku lililonse komanso kukolola mbewu. M’mudzi wathu waung’onowu, anthu ankagwirizana ndiponso kuthandizana ntchito.

Bambo anga a Emile ndi mayi anga a Alice anali Akatolika odzipereka. Iwo ankachita Misa Lamlungu lililonse. Koma mu 1939, apainiya ochokera ku England anabwera m’mudzi mwathu. Anauza bambo anga kuti alembetse kuti azilandira magazini omwe panopa timati Galamukani! Bambo anga anazindikira nthawi yomweyo kuti apeza choonadi ndipo anayamba kuwerenga Baibulo. Atangosiya kuchita nawo Misa, anthu a m’mudzimu omwe tinkagwirizana nawo anasintha n’kuyamba kuwatsutsa kwambiri. Ankakakamiza bambo anga kuti akhalebe a Katolika ndipo zinachititsa kuti azikangana kwambiri.

Zinkandipweteka kwambiri kuona bambo anga akupanikizidwa chonchi. Izi ndi zomwe zinandichititsa kupereka pemphero lochokera pansi pa mtima, lomwe ndalitchula kumayambiriro kwa nkhaniyi. Anthuwo atasiya kuwatsutsa bambo anga, ndinasangalala kwambiri. Apa ndinatsimikizira kuti Yehova ndi “Wakumva pemphero.”

Pa 10 May 1940, asilikali a Germany anaukira dziko la Belgium ndipo izi zinachititsa kuti anthu ambiri athawe m’dzikoli. Banja lathu linathawira kum’mwera kwa dziko la France. Pa ulendowu tinkadutsa m’madera oopsa amene asilikali a dziko la Germany ndi France ankamenyana.

Titabwerera kufamu yathu, tinapeza kuti zinthu zathu zambiri zabedwa. Kunangotsala galu wathu  yekha dzina lake Bobbie yemwe anatilandira. Zimenezi zinandichititsa kudzifunsa kuti, ‘N’chifukwa chiyani pamachitika nkhondo komanso mavuto ena?’

Pa nthawi imeneyi tinkalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi kubwera kwa M’bale Emile Schrantz, a yemwe anali mkulu komanso mpainiya wokhulupirika. Iye anafotokoza pogwiritsa ntchito Baibulo chifukwa chake padzikoli pamachitika mavuto ndipo anayankha mafunso anga ena okhudza moyo. Ndinayamba kukhala pa ubwenzi wolimba ndi Yehova ndipo ndinakhulupirira kuti iye ndi Mulungu wachikondi.

Ngakhale nkhondo isanathe, banja lathu linkakumana komanso kucheza ndi abale. Mwachitsanzo, mu August 1943, M’bale José-Nicolas Minet anabwera kufamu yathu kudzakamba nkhani. Iye anafunsa kuti: “Ndani akufuna kubatizidwa?” Ineyo ndi bambo anga tinaimika manja. Tonse tinabatizidwa mumtsinje wina waung’ono pafupi ndi famu yathu.

Mu December 1944 dziko la Germany linayamba kuukira kwambiri mayiko akumadzulo kwa Europe pa nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse. Tinkakhala kufupi ndi kumene kunkachitikira nkhondoyo ndipo kwa mwezi wathunthu tinakhala tikubisala m’chipinda chapansi. Tsiku lina nditatuluka kuti ndikadyetsere ziweto zathu, asilikali anaponya bomba pafamu yathu moti denga la kanyumba komwe tinkasungiramo katundu linachokeratu. Msilikali wina wa America yemwe anali pafupi ndi kholalo, anandiuza kuti, “Gona pansi!” Ndinathamanga n’kukagona pafupi naye ndipo iye anandiveka chipewa chake kuti anditeteze.

Nkhondoyi itatha, tinayamba kulankhulana pafupipafupi ndi abale a mumpingo wa Liège womwe unali pa mtunda wa makilomita pafupifupi 90 kumpoto kwa dera lomwe tinkakhala. Patapita kanthawi, tinayambitsa kagulu ku Bastogne. Ndiyamba kugwira ntchito mu ofesi yoona za misonkho ndipo ndinapeza mwayi wophunzira za malamulo. Kenako ndiyamba kugwira ntchito mu ofesi ina ya boma. Mu 1951 panakonzedwa msonkhano wadera waung’ono ku Bastogne. Pamsonkhanowu panafika anthu pafupifupi 100 kuphatikizapo Elly Reuter yemwe anali mpainiya wakhama. Iye anapalasa  njinga mtunda wa makilomita 50 kuti adzafike kumsonkhanowu. Posakhalitsa tinayamba kukondana ndipo tinakhala pa chibwenzi. Elly anali atangolandira kalata yomuitana kuti akalowe Sukulu ya Giliyadi ku America. Iye analemba kalata kulikulu yofotokoza chifukwa chake ankaona kuti sangakalowe sukuluyo. M’bale Knorr, yemwe pa nthawiyi ankatsogolera anthu a Mulungu, anamuyankha mokoma mtima kuti, mwina iye tsiku lina adzalowa sukuluyo limodzi ndi mwamuna wake. Ndiyeno mu February 1953, tinakwatirana.

Chaka chomwecho, ine ndi Elly tinakachita nawo msonkhano wa mutu wakuti, “Anthu a M’dziko Latsopano” womwe unachitikira ku Yankee Stadium ku New York. Kumsonkhanowu ndinakumana ndi m’bale wina yemwe anandiuza kuti andilemba ntchito yabwino ndipo anandiuza kuti ndisamukire ku United States. Titaipempherera nkhaniyi, ine ndi Elly tinaona kuti tikane ntchitoyo n’kubwerera ku Belgium kuti tikathandize kagulu ka ofalitsa 10 komwe kanali ku Bastogne. M’chaka chotsatira, tinasangalala kukhala ndi mwana wamwamuna dzina lake Serge. Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti patapita miyezi 7 Serge anadwala ndipo anamwalira. Tinamuuza Yehova m’pemphero za chisoni chathu ndipo iye anatilimbikitsa kwambiri ndi chiyembekezo chakuti akufa adzauka.

Mu October 1961, ndinapeza ntchito imene ndikanamagwira kwa masiku ochepa ndipo ikanamandipatsa mpata wochita upainiya. Tsiku lomwelo ndinalandira foni yochokera kwa mtumiki wa nthambi ya ku Belgium. Iye anandifunsa ngati ndingakwanitse kumatumikira monga mtumiki wadera (yemwe panopa amatchedwa woyang’anira dera). Ndiye ndinamufunsa kuti: “Kodi sizingakhale bwino titachita kaye upainiya tisanayambe utumiki umenewu?” Abale anavomereza pempho langali. Titachita upainiya kwa miyezi 8 tinayamba kuyendera dera mu September 1962.

Nditatumikira monga woyang’anira dera kwa zaka ziwiri, tinaitanidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Beteli ya ku Brussels. Tinakayamba kutumikira pa Beteli mu October 1964. Tinapeza madalitso ambiri mu utumiki wathu watsopanowu. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali kuchokera pamene M’bale Knorr anadzayendera ofesi yathu ya nthambi mu 1965, ndinadabwa kuuzidwa kuti ndaikidwa kukhala mtumiki wa nthambi. Pambuyo pake ine ndi Elly tinaitanidwa kuti tikalowe nawo kalasi nambala 41 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Apa mawu a M’bale Knorr omwe analankhula zaka 13 zapitazo, anakwaniritsidwa. Titamaliza sukuluyi, tinabwerera ku Beteli ya ku Belgium.

Kwa zaka zambiri, ndakhala ndi mwayi wogwiritsa ntchito zimene ndinaphunzira zokhuza malamulo poteteza ufulu wolambira wa anthu a Yehova ku Europe ndi m’madera ena. (Afil. 1:7) Zimenezi zachititsa kuti ndikhale ndi mwayi wolankhula ndi akuluakulu a boma m’mayiko oposa 55 komwe ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa. Ndikamalankhula ndi akuluakulu a bomawo, m’malo modzitchukitsa kuti ndine munthu wodziwa zamalamulo,  ndinkangowauza kuti ndine “munthu wa Mulungu.” Nthawi zonse ndinkapemphera kwa Yehova kuti anditsogolere chifukwa ndinkadziwa kuti “mtima wa mfumu [kapena woweruza] uli ngati mitsinje yamadzi mʼdzanja la Yehova. Amaupititsa kulikonse kumene iye akufuna.”​—Miy. 21:1.

Ndimakumbukirabe nthawi yomwe ndinalankhula ndi phungu wina wa nyumba ya malamulo ya ku Europe. Ndinali nditapempha kwa maulendo angapo kuti andipatse mwayi woti ndilankhule naye ndipo pamapeto pake iye anavomera. Iye anandiuza kuti, ‘Ndikupatsa 5 minitsi yokha ndipo isapitirire pamenepo.” Atatero ndinaweramitsa mutu wanga n’kuyamba kupemphera. Phunguyo anadabwa ndipo anandifunsa zimene ndinkachita. Ndinatukula mutu wanga n’kumuuza kuti, “Ndimathokoza Mulungu chifukwa choti inuyo ndi mmodzi wa atumiki ake.” Anandifunsa kuti, “Ukutanthauza chiyani?” Ndinamusonyeza lemba la Aroma 13:4. Popeza iye anali wachipembedzo cha Chipulotesitanti, ndipo ankalemekeza Baibulo, mawuwo anamufika pamtima. Zotsatira zake n’zakuti anandilola kulankhula naye kwa 30 minitsi ndipo zokambirana zathu zinayenda bwino kwambiri. Iye anafika poyamikira ntchito imene a Mboni za Yehova timagwira.

Kwa zaka zambiri, anthu a Yehova ku Europe akhala akupita kumakhoti pa milandu yokhudza kusalowerera ndale, kholo limene liyenera kulera ana banja likatha, misonkho ndi milandu ina yambiri. Ndakhala ndi mwayi wothandiza nawo pa milandu yambiri komanso kuona ndekha mmene Yehova wakhala akutithandizira kuti tipambane. Pofika pano, a Mboni za Yehova apambana milandu yoposa 140 ku Khoti Loona za Ufulu wa Anthu ku Europe.

M’ma 1990 ndinagwira ntchito ndi M’bale Philip Brumley wa ku likulu lathu ndi M’bale Valter Farneti wa ku Italy pothandiza abale a ku Cuba, komwe ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa, kuti akhale ndi ufulu wolambira. Ndinalembera kalata ofesi ya kazembe wa dziko la Cuba ku Belgium ndipo tinakambirana ndi mmodzi wa akuluakulu ku ofesiyo. Pa maulendo athu oyamba kukambirana, sitinkamvana bwinobwino pa zimene zinachititsa kuti boma liletse ntchito yathu.

Titapemphera kwa Yehova kuti atitsogolere, tinapempha akuluakulu a bomawo kuti atilole kutumiza Mabaibulo okwana 5,000 ku Cuba ndipo anativomereza. Mabaibulowo anakafika bwino ndipo anagawidwa kwa abale athu, choncho tinkaona kuti Yehova akudalitsa khama lathu. Kenako tinapempha kuti titumizenso Mabaibulo ena okwana 27,500. Apanso boma linavomereza. Ndinasangalala kwambiri  kuthandiza abale ndi alongo athu ku Cuba kuti akhale ndi Mabaibulo.

Ndakhala ndikupita ku Cuba kwa maulendo ambiri kuti ndikathandize pa nkhani zokhudza ufulu wa abale ndi alongo athu wokhudza kulambira. Izi zachititsa kuti ndidziwane ndi akuluakulu aboma ambiri.

Mu 1994 anthu oposa 1 miliyoni anaphedwa pa nkhondo yoopsa yapachiweniweni yolimbana ndi a Tutsi ku Rwanda. N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti abale ndi alongo athu enanso anaphedwa. Posakhalitsa panakonzedwa zoti abale agwire ntchito yopereka thandizo m’dzikolo.

Titafika kulikulu la dzikolo ku Kigali, tinapeza ku ofesi ya nthambi ndi malo olandirira mabuku makoma atabooledwabooledwa ndi zipolopolo. Tinamva nkhani zambiri zomvetsa chisoni zokhudza abale ndi alongo athu omwe anaphedwa ndi zikwanje. Koma tinamvanso nkhani zokhudza mmene abale ndi alongo ankathandizirana pa nthawiyi. Mwachitsanzo, tinakumana ndi m’bale wina wa Chitutsi yemwe anatetezedwa ndi banja lina la Mboni la Chihutu, lomwe linamubisa m’dzenje kwa masiku 28. Pamsonkhano womwe tinachita ku Kigali, tinalimbikitsa abale ndi alongo okwana 900.

Kenako tinapita ku Zaire (komwe panopa ndi Democratic Republic of Congo) kukafufuza abale a ku Rwanda omwe anathawira m’makampu apafupi ndi mzinda wa Goma. Koma sitinawapeze ndipo tinapempha Yehova kuti atitsogolere kwa abalewo. Kenako tinaona munthu wina akubwera chakufupi ndi komwe tinali ndipo tinamufunsa ngati ankadziwa wa Mboni za Yehova aliyense. Iye anayankha kuti, “Inde, inenso ndi wa Mboni. Nditha kukuperekezani kwa abale a m’komiti yopereka chithandizo.” Titakambirana mfundo zolimbikitsa ndi abale a m’komitiwo, tinakumana ndi abale 1,600 othawa kwawo ndipo tinawalimbikitsanso. Tinawerenga nawonso kalata yochokera ku Bungwe Lolamulira. Abalewo anasangalala kwambiri atamva mawu olimbikitsa a m’kalatayo akuti: “Nthawi zonse timakupemphererani. Tikudziwa kuti Yehova sadzakusiyani.” Zimene Bungwe Lolamulira linanenazi zinali zoona chifukwa panopa ku Rwanda kuli a Mboni oposa 30,000 omwe akusangalala kutumikira Yehova.

Mkazi wanga wokondedwa Elly anamwalira mu 2011 titakhala m’banja kwa zaka pafupifupi 58. Yehova ananditonthoza nditamufotokozera m’pemphero mmene ndinkamvera. Ndinkatonthozedwanso ndikamauza ena uthenga wabwino wa Ufumu.

Ngakhale kuti ndili ndi zaka za m’ma 90 ndimalalikirabe mlungu uliwonse. Ndimasangalalanso kutumikira m’Dipatimenti ya Zamalamulo ku nthambi ya ku Belgium, kuphunzitsa ena luso lomwe ndapeza komanso kulimbikitsa achinyamata a m’banja la Beteli.

Zaka 84 zapitazo, ndinapereka pemphero langa loyamba kwa Yehova. Iyi inali nthawi yosangalatsa kwambiri yomwe ndinayamba kuyenda ndi Yehova komanso kukhala naye pa ubwenzi wolimba. Ndimasangalala kwambiri kuti pa moyo wanga wonse Yehova wakhala akuyankha mapemphero anga.​—Sal. 66:19. b